How to play Plotluck
One screen everyone can see, and a phone for each player. That's the whole setup, whether you're on a couch or on a video call.
What you need
A shared screen
A TV with a browser, a laptop, a projector, or a screen share on a video call.
A phone for each player
Any recent phone or tablet with a web browser. Nothing to install.
3 to 8 players
Players must be 13 or older, and 18 or older in Mature mode.
Start a game
- 1
Open Plotluck on the big screen
On a TV, laptop, or projector everyone can see, go to plotluck-game.com and press Host a game. A room opens with a four-letter code and a QR code.
- 2
Everyone joins from their phone
Players scan the QR code, or go to plotluck-game.com on their phone and type the code. No app, no account: just a nickname.
- 3
Pick your settings and start
Choose a story pack, the content mode (Family, Standard, or Mature), how many rounds, and which games. Then press Start.
- 4
Play
Each round, vote on a story, fill in your blanks, listen to the story the AI writes, and play the round's game. Scores carry across rounds.
The first player to join is the VIP: their phone can start the game and move it along, which is handy when the screen is across the room.
Play over a video call
Plotluck works as a virtual party game on Zoom, Discord, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or FaceTime. The host opens Plotluck in a browser tab and shares that tab. Everyone else watches the shared screen and plays on their own phone.
- Share the tab with sound. Turn on “share audio” (or “share computer sound”) so everyone hears the narrator read the story.
- Post the join link in the chat. Players can tap it to join instead of typing the code.
- Pick Relaxed timers for big calls, so nobody is rushed by a laggy connection.
Choose your content mode
Family
G-rated party games for mixed ages: no swearing, no innuendo, nothing scary.
Standard
PG-13: mild language and clever innuendo. The default for friends and college groups.
Mature (18+)
An adults-only party game mode with swearing and raunchy humor. Everyone confirms they're 18+.
The seven games
Each round plays one of these, and they rotate so a session never repeats itself.
- Story BuilderCreative groups and storytellers
- Who Wrote It?Friends who think they know each other
- Fake or RealBluffers and sharp-eyed readers
- Hot SeatBirthdays, roommates, and close friends
- Finish the StoryQuick wits and comedians
- Pop QuizCompetitive groups and good listeners
- The JudgeCreative problem-solvers
Tips for a great game night
- Turn the narrator on and the TV volume up. Hearing your own answer read aloud is half the fun.
- Five rounds is the sweet spot: long enough for every game to come around, short enough to play again.
- Specific answers beat random ones. “Grandma's left elbow” lands harder than “stuff.”
- Hosting a holiday party, Friendsgiving, or a dorm game night? Plotluck plays fine with a crowd watching: up to eight players at a time.
Start a game in a minute
Open Plotluck on any TV, laptop, or shared screen, and your friends join from their phones with a four-letter code. Free, with nothing to download.